Apparatus for oxidizing steel sheets.



92 929. 4 PATENT-ED JUL No a W. M; BLBGKER. Y 7,1908. APPARATUS FOROXIDIZIN-G STEEL SHEETS.

APPLIOATION IILED JAN. 20 1908.

v 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J tornc 92 929. PATENTED JULY 7 1908. W. M. BLEOKER.

APPARATUS FOR oxmzme STEEL SHEETS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

a 3 k Jul/en for. I ilorney 912' tnesses.

WILLIAM M. BLEOKER, or CANTON, oHIoI APPARATUS FOR OXIDIZIN G STEELSHEETS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 7, 1908.

Application filed January 20, 1908. Serial No. 411,809.

' a citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county ofStark and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Apparatus forOxidizing Steel Sheets, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an apparatus for oxidizing the polishedsurfaces and cooling the body of ordinarily finished steel sheets asthey come from an annealing furnace; and the object of the improvementis to I provide means for uniformly bluing the su aces of the sheets bya bath of steam fol lowed by one or more baths of cooling air,

whereby the oxidation of the surfaces is uniformly completed withoutimpairing the polish or blemishing the bluing thereon at the same timethe body of the sheet is being cooled, and the blue color is fixed onthe sheets and is not affected by contact with other sheets while beingcooled from the heating employed in the annealing process.

In the annealing process, the steel sheets are usually assembled instacks of uniform size to form a pack which is wrapped or enveloped inother sheets or a suitable case and then placed in a furnace whereinthey are brought to a cherry red heat. Upon being removed from thefurnace, the envelop or case is opened; and among the methods in commonuse for bluing the sheets, it is common practice to separate the sheetsone from another, either bythe use of tongs or by projecting a stream ofsteam against or along one edge of the sheet, and then to scatter thesheets loosely on a floor or table for cooling. By such means, it isdifficult and practically impossible to bring the oxidizing agentuniformly in contact with the whole of both surfaces of the sheet, and,furthermore, the contact. of one sheet against another or of the sheeton the floor or table while being cooled, is apt to blemish. the sheetor to prevent a uniform completion of the oxidation by the contact ofthe air during the somewhat extended period required for cooling thesheets in this manner. These difficulties are avoided and the objects ofthis invention are attained by the apparatus which is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a packof sheets enveloped in other sheets for the annealing process; Fig. 2, aperspective View of a pack of sheets opened up ready for the blu- 1 ingand cooling process; Fig. 3, an outline perspective view of a preferredform of the apparatus; Fig. 4, an enlarged longitudinal section showingsome details of the appara tus; Fig. 5, a rear end view of theapparatus; Fig. 6, a cross-section of the apparatus on line 66 Fig. 3;Fig. 7, a fragmentary View of a preferred form of the transverse pipes;and Fig. 8, a perspective View of an alternate form of the same.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

The a aratus is composed of an endlesschain table, a system of steampipes, and a system of cooling air pipes. The table is preferably madeof the series of endless chains 1, adapted to operate on the series ofsprocket wheels 2, securely mounted on the series of shafts 3, which, inturn, are journaled in bearings 4 on the series of standards 5. Forgeneral use, the table is preferably made about 75 feet long and some 10feet wide, and to limit the length of the endless chains for the purposeof conveniently handling and repairing the same, the middle shaft 3 isreferably provided with a double set of sproc ret wheels so that anindependent series of chains can be employed in the res ective ends ofthe table. And also, to ena le one lateral half of the table to beoperated without the other half, when smaller sized sheets are handledthereon, separate shafts are preferably used in each side of the tableand the same are ada ted to be thrown into and out of gear, as by meansof the ordinary clutch 7.

The system of steam pipes is located at the forward end of the table andis composed of the main pipes 8 and 8 located on the respective sides ofthe table, the connecting pipe 8' located below the table, and thetransverse pipes 9 and 9 located immediately above and below the uppersections of the endless chains. The longitudinal slit 10 is provided inthe lower side of the transverse pipe 9, and the similar slit 10 isprovided in the upper side of the transverse pipe 9, which slits extendfrom one end to the other of the pipes and are adapted to dischargesteam in thin streams. Substantially the same effect can also beaccomplished by providing, in each pipe, a longitudinal row of smallapertures 11, located quite closely together, to constitute asubstantially continuous a erture, asshown in Fig. 8. The supply 0 steammay be obtained from a boller or the exhaust of an by suitable valves as16.

engine, and the pressure thereof is regulated by suitable valves as 12'.

The cooling air system of pipes is composed of the main pipes 13 and 13and the longitudinal headers 14, located on the respective sides of thetable, the connecting pipe 13*, and the transverse pipes 15 located.immediately above and below the upper sections of the endless chains.transverse air pipes is located a short dis tance in rear of thetransverse steam pipes, and the successive sets of transverse air pipesare located at intervals apart along the length of the table, the lastset being located near the rear end thereof. The longitudinal slits 16and 16 are provided in the under and upper sides respectively of theupper and lower transverse air pipes, like the similar slits orsubstantially continuous apertures, in the transverse steam pipes,through which slits cooling air is adapted to be discharged in thinstreams. The transverse air pipes can be made continuous between theheaders from one side to the other, as shown for the transverse steampipes; but for the purpose of shutting off the air from one side or theother of the table, it is preferable to arrange the pipes on each sideof the table in a separate system, as illustrated. The supply of air maybe obtained from a compressor or a blower, and the pressure thereof inthe re spective systems is regulated and controlled It will beunderstood that the transverse steam pipes can likewise be divided intolateral sections adapted to be supplied independently of each other, asshown for the transverse air pipes.

Suitable power is applied to the endlesschain gearings, as by means ofthe belt 18, applied, as shown, to the pulley 19 mounted on the shaft atthe rear end of the table; and the same is rotated to cause the uppersections of the endless chains to travel from the front toward the rearend of the table. In the use of the apparatus, the steel sheets areindividually removed from the newly-opened packs as they are taken fromthe annealing furnaces, as by tongs or other suitable means, and areplaced on the forward end of the movable table, and are carried by thechains to the rear end thereof. In passing between the upper and lowertransverse steam pipes, each sheet is impinged by a thin stream ofsteam, extending uniformly from one end of the sheet to the other, andthe movement of the sheet on the table subjects the same to the thinstream of steam quite quickly and uniformly from one edge to the other;so that the entire surface of both sides of the steel sheet is subjectedto a bath of steam which is uniformly applied from end to end, andsubstantially instantaneously applied from edge to edge, whereby auniform oxidation of the whole'surface of both sides The first set of ofthe sheet is accomplished. As the sheets are carried rearward on themovable table by the endless chains, they will be subjected successivelyto similar baths of cooling air, which is discharged. from therespective sets of transverse air pipes, whereby the oxidation caused bythe steam bath will be uniformly completed and permanently fixed and thesheets will be uniformly and quite rapidly cooled. by the time theyreach the rear end of the table, from which they are adapted to be takenand removed as by tongs or other suitable appliance.

It is evident that by oxidizing the sheets on both sides by a uniformand substantially instantaneous bath-of steam, the oxidation will beaccomplished uniformly over the whole surface of both sides of thesheets, and that by cooling the sheets as they are carried rearward bythe endless chains, the whole surface of both sides of the sheets willbe uniformly subjected to successive baths of cooling air, intermediatewhich they will also be uniformly exposed to the ordinary atmosphere,until they are completely cooled at the rear end of the table; and thatthe apparatus will keep sheets entirely separate, without contact withone another, or with the surface of a supporting floor or table,excepting only the contact of the endless chains, which is a negligiblecontact because it is limited to a very few points on the under side ofthe sheet.

It is evident that instead of employing steam, as described, foroxidizing the sheets, the essential use of the apparatus will not beaffected by using spray or some other form of aqueous vapor for the samepurpose; and it is furthermore evident that when it is de sired tooxidize the sheet on one side only, the impinging streams of steam andair can be omitted either above or below the conveyer. The process whichis illustrated and described but not claimed herein, performed by meansof the apparatus which is the subject-matter of this application, ismade the subj cot-matter of another application for Letters Patent filedherewith, Serial No. 411,810.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. An apparatus for oxidizing hot steel sheets comprising anendless-chain conveyer, a system of steam pipes including transversepipes above and below the conveyer at its forward end and havinglongitudinal slits therein presented to the conveyer, and a system ofcooling air pipes including a series of similarly positioned and slittedtransverse pipes located at intervals in rear of the transverse steampipes.

2. An apparatus for oxidizing hot steel sheets comprising anendless-chain conveyer, a system of steam pi es including transversepipes above and be ow the conveyer at its forward end and havinglongitudinal slits therein presented to the conveyer,'and a system ofcooling air pipes including similarly positioned and slitted transversepipes located in rear of the transverse steam pipes.

3. An apparatus for oxidizing hot steel sheets comprising anendless-chain conveyer, a transverse pipe adjacent to the conveyer atits forward end and having a longitudinal slit therein presented to theconveyer, with means for supplying and discharging steam through thelongitudinal slit, and a series of similarly positioned and slittedtransverse pipes located at intervals in rear of the transverse steampipe, with means for su plying and discharging cooling air through t eslits of the rear pipes.

4. An apparatus for oxidizing hot steel sheets comprising anendless-chain conveyer, a transverse pipe adjacent to the conveyer atits forward end and having a longitudinal slit therein presented to theconveyer, with means for supplyin and dischargim steam through thelongitudinal slit, and a similarly positioned and slitted transversepipe located in rear of the transverse steam pipe, with means forsupplying and discharging cooling air through the slit of the rear pipe.

5. An apparatusfor oxidizing hot steel sheets com rising anendless-chain conveyer,

a system 0 steam pipes including transverse ipes above and be ow theconve er at its fbrward end and being apertured ongitudinally todischarge a stream of steam toward the conveyer and extending from oneside to the other thereof, and a system of cooling air pi es including aseries of similarly positione and apertured transverse pipes located atintervals in rear of the transverse steam pipes.

6. An apparatus for oxidizing hot steel sheets com rising anendless-chain conveyer, a system 0 steam pi es including transverse ipesabove and be ow the conveyer at its orward end and being aperturedlongitudinally to discharge a stream of steam toward the conveyer andextending from one side to the other thereof, and a system of coolingair pipes including similarly positioned and apertured transverse pipeslocated in rear of the transverse steam pipes.

7. An apparatus for oxidizing hot steel sheets comprising anendless-chain conveyer, a transverse pi e adjacent to the conveyer atits forward en and being apertured longitudinally, with means forsupplying and discharging therefrom a stream of steam toward theconveyer and extending from one side to the other thereof, and a seriesof similarly ositioned and apertured transverse pipes ocated atintervals in rear of the transverse steam pipe, with means for supplyinand discharging therefrom similar streams of cooling air toward theconveyer.

8. An apparatus for oxidizing hot steel sheets comprising anendless-chain conveyer,

a transverse ipe adjacent to the conveyer at its forward end and beingapertured longitudinally, with means for supplying and dischargingtherefrom a stream of steam to ward the conveyer and extending from oneside to the other thereof, and a similarly positioned and aperturedtransverse pipe located in rear of the transverse steam pipe, with meansfor supplying and discharging therefrom a similar stream of cooling airtoward the conveyer.

9. An apparatus for oxidizing hot steel sheets comprising a movable opentable, a system of steam i es including transverse pipes above andfielbw the table at its forward end and having longitudinal slitstherein resented to the table, and a system of coo ing air pipesincluding a series of similarly positioned and slitted transverse pipeslocated at intervals in rear of the transverse steam pipes.

10. An apparatus for oxidizing hot steel sheets comprising a movableopen table, a system of steam i es including transverse pipes above andl fe ow the table at its forward end and having longitudinal slitstherein presented to the table, and a system of coo ing air pipesincluding similarly positioned and slitted transverse pipes located inrear of the transverse steam pipes.

11. An apparatus for oxidizing hot steel sheets comprising a movableopen table, a transverse pipe adjacent to the table at its forward endand having a longitudinal slit therein resented to the table, with meansfor supp ying and discharging steam through the longitudinal slit, and aseries of similarly positioned and slitted transverse pipes located atintervals in rear of the transverse steam pipe, with means for supplyingand discharging cooling air through the slits of the rear pipes.

12. An apparatus for oxidizing hot steel sheets comprising a movableopen table, a transverse pipe adjacent to the table at its forward endand having a longitudinal slit therein resented to the table, with.means for sup pl ing and discharging steam through the longitudinalslit, and a similarly positioned and slitted transverse pipe located inrear of the transverse steam pipe, with means for su plying anddischarging cooling air through t e slit of the rear ipe.

13. An apparatus for oxidizing hot steel sheets comprising a movableopen table, a system of steam pipes including transverse pipes above ande ow the table at its forward end and being apertured longitudinally todischarge a stream of steam toward the table and extending from one sideto the other thereof, and a system of cooling air pipes including aseries of similarly positioned and apertured transverse pipes located atintervals in rear of the transverse steam pipes.

14. An apparatus for oxidizing hot steel sheets comprising a movableopen table, a system of steam i es including transverse pipes above andfielbw the table at its for- Ward end and being apertured longitudinallyto discharge a stream of steam toward the table and extending from oneside to the other thereof, and a system of cooling air pipes includingsimilarly positioned and apertured transverse pipes located in rear ofthe transverse steam ipes.

15. An apparatus or oxidizing hot steel sheets comprising a movable opentable, a transverse pipe adjacent to the table at its forward end andbeing apertured longitudinally, with means for supplying and dischargingtherefrom a stream of steam toward the table and extending from one sideto the other thereof, and a series of similarly positioned and aperturedtransverse pipes located at intervals in rear of the transverse steampipe, with means for supplying and discharging therefrom similar streamsof cooling air toward the table.

16. An apparatus for oxidizing hot steel sheets comprising a movableopen table, a transverse pipe adjacent to the table at its forward endand being apertured longitudinally, with means for supplying anddischarging therefrom a stream of steam toward the table and extendingfrom one side to the other thereof, and a similarly positioned andapertured transverse pipe lo cated in rear of the transverse steam pipe,with means for supplying and discharglng therefrom a similar stream ofcooling air toward the table.

WILLIAM M. BLECKER.

Witnesses:

JosEPH FREAsE, HARRY FREASE.

